Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

The Oak Park Arms’ will celebrate Veteran’s Day at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, in the ballroom at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The public is invited to attend.

Students from Trinity High School have been interviewing Oak Park Arms’ residents and writing their stories. A wall titled, “A Tribute to Our Soldiers” will be on display with a map, bios and strings to each veteran’s photo.

Veterans from the staff at Oak Park Arms will present the flag in a color guard. A patriotic program will follow featuring Pam Turlow singing “The Star Spangled Banner,” Dr. Bob Beiter playing “God Bless America” on tenor sax, and the Oak Park Arms Chorus singing “America, the Beautiful.”

After the official program, a reception will take place in the lounge, while the Mills Orchestra will play Sousa marches.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040 or visit http://www.oakparkarms.com.

Chicago actor Lance Brown will present his show, “Will Rogers, Now!” at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 8, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The public is warmly welcome to this free show.

In addition the day features The Oak Park Arms’ open house and pancake breakfast from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public is warmly welcome to enjoy pancakes, oatmeal, specialty drinks, and to listen to the music of the Farmer’s Market musicians.

Pancake breakfast and open house guests won’t want to miss the Will Rogers show. Rogers was born in 1879, in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). His diverse talents and humanitarian work kept him in the public eye most of his life. He wrote a column for the New York Times, was a radio and film personality, humorist, and a grass-roots philosopher. Rogers’ direct, straightforward attitudes about life, politics, and the world reflect the values of the cowboy culture in which he was raised.

Lance Brown’s performance of “Will Rogers, Now!” takes an entertaining and insightful look at the cowboy’s life and values. As Will Rogers, Brown speaks on subjects ranging from leadership and teamwork to human folly and today’s headlines. He uses Rogers’ famous trick roping and playful humor to bring America’s most loved citizen to life. He points up the irony of how many of Will Rogers’ comments apply directly to what is happening today.

Brown, 60, has done extensive research at the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, OK, having authored the book, “On the Road with Will Rogers.” He has spent more than 16 years touring the country performing his theatrical production, “Lance Brown’s Tribute to Will Rogers.”

The universal quality of Will Rogers’ humor still holds true today, some 68 years after his death. It was Will Rogers who was quick to point out “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” Or looking on the bright side of taxes, he quipped, “Thank God we don’t get as much government as we’re payin’ for.”

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

There is no cost to attend the breakfast, open house, or “Will Rogers, Now!” show. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.

The Freenotes Big Band will perform at a dance at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 28, in the Grand Ballroom of the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. Refreshments will be served.

The Freenotes is an 18-piece band that plays music from 1940s through the 1960s. The name “Freenotes” originated 30 years ago when the band’s founder, the late Art Mertz, gathered a few musical friends to perform at an outdoor fundraiser. The group didn’t charge – hence The “Free”notes. The musicians had a blast that day, and the band has been growing ever since.

Today’s 18 members range in age from 30 to 70. They perform in blue blazers with red ties. Twenty year Freenotes’ member Ron Chocola is the band manager, taking care of bookings and other business tasks. He plays trumpet in the band.

“This is the very first time we’ve played at the Oak Park Arms,” Chocola said. “We have a repertoire of several hundred songs, all very danceable. We play at concerts, parties and dances such as the one at the Oak Park Arms.”

Another member of the band – Dr. Bob Beiter – has his business, CAA-The Hearing Place, located within the Oak Park Arms, so he knows many residents.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040 or visit http://www.oakparkarms.com.